Something is wrong with the American church.

Just look around. Our pews are emptying, not filling. Our younger generations are leaving, not staying. In a world desperate for truth, love, and purpose, we’re offering shallow programs, culture wars, and clichés. We preach grace but practice judgment. We sing about God’s power while hoarding human control. The gap between the Jesus of the Bible and the Christianity we practice has grown so wide it threatens to swallow us whole.

We need a new Reformation.

The original Reformation in the early 1500s, led by Martin Luther and several others, exposed how far the church had strayed from the gospel. At its core the Reformation was a cry to return to Scripture and reclaim God’s authority. They dealt with issues of indulgences (selling of forgiveness) and excessive emphasis on paying for salvation with good deeds and with money.

Today, the issue isn’t selling indulgences; it’s peddling irrelevance. We’ve exchanged the radical call of Jesus to love God and neighbor for cheap entertainment, partisan politics, and a consumer mindset.

We’ve turned church into a product—marketed, polished, and packaged to please the masses. And when people inevitably see through the facade, they leave. Some leave the faith altogether. Others leave for churches that embrace authenticity, however messy it may be.

The Weight of Our Failure

This is where the pain sets in. We’re not just losing attendees; we’re losing credibility. The broader culture sees the church as judgmental, hypocritical, and frankly out of touch. How can we blame them? We preach about the sanctity of life while ignoring the cries of the marginalized. We talk about Jesus’ love but fail to embody that love in our own homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

It’s easy to point fingers at the culture for abandoning Christian values. But maybe the culture didn’t abandon us. Maybe we abandoned the Jesus they need to see.

This is bigger than declining numbers or shrinking influence. It’s about souls. People are walking away from the hope of Jesus because they don’t see it in us.

The good news? Reformation isn’t about destruction; it’s about renewal. The first Reformation didn’t burn the church to the ground. It called it back to its foundation. Today’s Reformation must do the exact same thing.

We don’t need better branding. We need deeper discipleship. We don’t need bigger buildings. We need communities that feel like family. And we certainly don’t need more culture wars. We need to take up the only war Jesus called us to fight: against sin, darkness, and injustice.

This new Reformation must start with humility. The American church doesn’t need a PR strategy; it needs repentance. Let’s confess where we’ve put comfort over calling, self-righteousness over servanthood, and fear over faith.

The church also needs courage. The truth is, a reformed church won’t make everyone happy. But our goal isn’t to please people; it’s to glorify God. Let’s have the guts to challenge the idols we’ve built in His name—idols of politics, tradition, and power.

A reformed church could be a breathtaking force for good. Imagine churches known for their generosity, not their greed. Imagine Christians famous for their kindness, not their outrage. Imagine communities transformed because the love of Jesus shines so brightly that people can’t help but be drawn to it.

We’ve seen glimpses of this throughout history. The early church grew because it loved so radically that outsiders said, “See how they love one another!” The Wesleyan revival in England led to societal reforms that changed the nation. The Jesus Movement of the 70s brought countless young people to faith.

God isn’t done with His church. But He’s waiting for us to stop clinging to the past and start embracing His future.

The new Reformation won’t come from church growth seminars or celebrity pastors. It will come from ordinary Christians rediscovering what it means to follow Jesus. It will come from pastors bold enough to preach the gospel and lead with integrity. It will come when we stop playing church and start being the church.

Let’s not wait for someone else to start it. Revival begins in hearts, homes, and local congregations like yours and mine. Let’s pray for it. Let’s work for it. Let’s believe for it.

The world doesn’t need more American Christianity. It needs more Jesus. Are we ready to give it to them?